April 26, 2011
At Pleasant Grove High, Cody Demps is nicknamed "Slim" because of his slight build. But make no mistake about his college chances as Demps is a big-time prospect. He does double-duty as both quarterback on the gridiron and guard for the Eagles' basketball squad.
As a junior this past year, Demps quarterbacked Pleasant Grove to a 13-1 record. On the basketball hard court, Demps was critical in helping his Eagles to an 18-10 record that ended in a Sac-Joaquin Section playoff loss to Franklin 57-56.
At 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, Demps has good size and adequate wingspan to play either guard position. As a quarterback, he is tall enough to see over the line to read the coverage. And overall, he has the athleticism to play either sport effectively.
Team 94 Coach Phil Handy, former University of Hawaii star and Golden State Warrior, says, "Cody's biggest strength is his ability to play multiple positions. Can play the 1, 2 or 3 positions very effectively! He is a long and athletic wing who can score in a variety of ways. Shoots the ball very well out to the 3 and has a very good mid range game! Has a nice understanding of the game. He plays with a lot of energy and works extremely hard. He is an unselfish player who makes players around him better and is very coachable and willing!"
Demps considers himself to be a finesse and slasher type of player due to his good body control and length. He likes to attack and get to the basketball and is also apt at getting to the free throw line. During this summer, he will play for his club team of Team 94 and will work on his perimeter game.
This No. 36 ranked prospect in the NCP 2012 Top 40 started playing basketball in the first grade. Demps models his game after former Cal star Jason Kidd because he is bigger than most guards, has good court vision, has a good basketball IQ, and is able to involve many other players.
Demps considers his basketball skills to be superior to his football skills and will most likely play basketball in college. He has a 4.00 GPA and has not taken the SATs yet. Cal Poly, Penn University, Santa Clara, Stanford, and Yale have been in contact with Demps.
Coach Handy says, "Off the court, he is a very mild mannered kid. Has a great personality and sets a nice example for his younger brother. Great student and has a strong supportive family! He is a mid major player. Can fit in nicely in the WCC, Big West, Mountain West type of conference. His size and versatility will make him intriguing to many college coaches. He is relatively unknown kid coming from the Elk Grove Area. This should be a nice break out summer for him."
Playing both basketball and quarterback in football has helped groom him as a natural leader. His football team touts talented running back Mark Jenkins, defensive back Desmond Lewis, and lineman Arik Armstead. The Eagles should have a formidable returning football team for Demps' senior year.
Demps hopes that this summer will really put him on the radar for more college programs. In his senior year, he would like to win All-State individual honors while leading his basketball team to a deep run in the playoffs. Expect Demps to give Pleasant Grove more than a Slim chance of succeeding in both basketball and football this upcoming season.
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